As Windsor residents gather to participate in the Town’s annual
tree lighting ceremony, some visitors might notice the absence of
tree decorations. Windsor’s unofficial tree decorator, Print Cates,
said the lack of ornaments was an aesthetic decision meant to
invoke memories of the first Town Green celebrations.
“It’s just a matter of simplicity this year,” he said. “It’s
about coming back to Windsor’s heart.”
Cates, who works at Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, has been decorating
the Windsor tree as a personal project for several years. He said
he always enjoyed the holiday season and after watching his first
tree lighting on the Green when Powell’s opened, he thought a
decorated tree would better reflect the atmosphere downtown. “I
just decided how cool it would be if we could decorate the town
tree,” he said.
Cates approached several Windsor businesses and assembled a set
of holiday decorations from donations and private citizen
purchases. With the support of the Town and help from the Parks and
Facilities department, the group has hung icicles, glass orbs and
bows on the tree ever since.
However, Cates said that the establishment of the Windsor
Wonderland of Lights and the potential for a new business mix in
the Downtown suggested a sort of renewal for the area that seemed
to be better served by returning the tree to its original form.
Cates said he wanted to return the decorating to a simpler
approach that matched the rebirth of the downtown . “Its just to
bring it back to the basics,” he said. “Its about the jewel of the
tree and the symbolism of the tree.”
This year, Town staff have decorated the tree with several sets
of white holiday lights and attached a twinkling snowflake to the
top. The tree will be officially lit during the annual Holiday
Celebration and Old Downtown Business Open House on Dec. 6.
The Holiday Celebration includes festivities for the whole
family such as carolers strolling beneath old lamplights of
yesteryear, horses drawing graceful carriages around the Town
Green, and an old-fashioned trolley shuttling celebrants between
turn-of-the-century shops and stores. At 6:15 p.m., Mr. and Mrs.
Claus, will arrive by carriage and use their magic to light
Windsor’s holiday tree on the Town Green. Photos with Santa will be
available for a fee.
Old Downtown Windsor merchants are competing to win the “Best
Decorated Holiday Window.” To enter the holiday gift certificate
drawing, visitors are invited to cast their votes for their
favorite window display in any of the many stores, shops and
restaurants in Old Downtown Windsor.
Schedule of Events
5 – 8 p.m.
Miniature Polar Express train and Jingle-bell horse-drawn
carriage rides, children’s crafts at Santa’s Workshop, photos with
Santa at the North Pole Pavilion (for a fee), Holly Trolley tours
of Old Downtown Windsor, Musical program in the Town Green’s
Central Pavilion beginning at 5 p.m.: Brooks Elementary School
Chorus, Healdsburg and Windsor Children’s Chorus; No Fear String
Quartet; Vineyard of Faith Players, the Stevens Sisters Quartet,
and Mattie Washburn Elementary School Chorus.
6:15 p.m.
Santa and Mrs. Claus and their elves arrive to light the Holiday
Tree.
For further information, please visit the Town website at:
www.townofwindsor.com or
phone 838-1260.
